Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing Jack Smith’s J6 case, has issued Trump a limited gag order. He is restricted from “making public statements attacking the witnesses and specific prosecutors or court staff members involved in the federal case concerning his efforts to overturn the 2020 election,” the NY Times says. Trump has “truthed” that he will appeal the order. His campaign also sent out emails claiming that President Biden is behind the gag order. Judge Chutkan did not specify what penalties Trump might face if — excuse me, when — he violates the order.
On to the House Circus. Many news articles have said that a core group of Republicans are saying they will not vote for Gym Jordan, which if true would seem to kill his chances of being elected Speaker. Some have said that if Jordan tries to force a roll-call vote tomorrow, they will block it. We’ll see.
It’s also said Jordan has been urging his MAGA supporters to bully the holdouts into submission. Josh Marshall writes that most of the resisters are establshed but conservative Republicans who are tired of Jordan’s act. And some of them are flipping.
If they give way you’ll be left with a handful of vulnerable Republicans like the newly elected members from New York state and a few others sitting in Biden districts. If it’s down to them I’m fairly certain they just fold.
If it plays out like that you could have a Speaker Jim Jordan in place by tomorrow.
This would be quite bad for the country. But it’s hard for me to see how it isn’t pretty bad for the GOP in terms of the 2024 election, at least in the House.
Late Update: Now another, Ann Wagner (MO), has flipped. The rationale is refusal to be forced to work with Democrats to elect a Speaker. Steve Womack seems to be the only high profile NeverJim who’s holding tough. My assumption now is the Jordan probably wins this. Though we need to see more to know.
Later Update: I think this is close to done. Jordan is going to be Speaker. Maybe not tomorrow but soon. And in all likelihood probably tomorrow.
In other news: I feel I have to mention the 6-year-old boy in Illinois who was murdered by his mother’s landlord. The statement from the county sheriff’s department is just anguishing. “The six-year-old boy was stabbed twenty-six (26) times throughout his body. The knife used in this attack is a twelve-inch serrated military style knife that has a seven-inch blade.” Joseph M. Czuba (age 71) has been charged.
On a more cheerful note, the DoJ has filed notice that it wants the US Court of Appeals in DC to impose longer sentences on Enrique Tarrio, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, Dominic Pezzola and Ethan Nordean, all Proud Boys I believe.